Men used a BB gun to commit robberies in Merced and Stanislaus counties, police say | Los Banos Enterprise

Two men and a juvenile were recently arrested for armed robberies in Gustine, Newman and other communities on the Westside, according to police.

Police said 24-year-old Cesario Gonzalez of Newman and 23-year-old Chaz Anthony Davis of Gustine are believed to have used a black BB gun that appeared to be real to commit three armed robberies this month.

Gustine police were called to the 300 block of Meredith Avenue about 2 p.m. Wednesday after a woman picking up her children said three men pointed the BB gun at her face without provocation, according to a news release. The men then left in a white Ford Mustang convertible.

Officers searched the area but could not find the men or the car. Police said they notified Newman Police Department and the Merced County Sheriff’s Office to be on the lookout for them.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office conducted an investigation about 3:30 p.m. the same day in Crows Landing that also involved a White Mustang, according to police. The investigation provided some leads for police.

Newman police were able to locate the suspects and arrest them at about 4:16 p.m. the same day, according to police. Inside their car was a black BB gun that resembled a semi-automatic handgun and a ski mask, police said.

Police said they believe the two men were involved in other robberies on Aug. 18 in Crows Landing and Patterson.

The two men were arrested on suspicion of three counts of robbery and brandishing a firearm in Merced County, according to police.

Davis is held at the Stanislaus County Jail in lieu of $105,000 in bail, according to jail records, and Gonzalez is held on $200,000 bail.

The male juvenile was released to a parent and is believed to not be involved in any of the criminal cases, police said.